Volkswagen Golf TDi

A used diesel Golf is still a good option for the thinking driver, writes DAVID MORLEY.

09 March 2011David Morley

Volkswagen Golf TDi

A little Golf goes a long way

Diesel engines are suddenly sexy. With petrol prices approaching $1.20 a litre, diesel engines are viewed with increasing favour, but there are other factors in play.

Many motorists are now stopping to consider the impact of their driving beyond a straight cost equation. The rise of hybrid cars is proof of that. Car makers are also introducing modern, high-tech diesels to this conscience-driven market.

One of the sexiest new diesels you can buy is the fifth-generation Volkswagen Golf TDi. Based on the impressive new Golf platform, it has 103 kW and a massive 320 Nm of torque, meaning it performs like no other small diesel car before it. Throw in the fuel consumption recorded by Drive of 3.5 litres per 100 km on a highway cruise (about 80 miles-per-gallon on the old scale) and the new VW is the must-have car for the thinking driver.

On the other hand, it is a $30,000-plus proposition - and that's before you get it registered and on the road.

Diesel-powered VW Golfs are not a new phenomenon, and a few that went before are worth owning second-hand.

The first Golf diesel arrived here in 1978 but you can dismiss that version unless you're a true enthusiast - for a couple of reasons. Most notably, they've all done a heap of kilometres, and reconditioning a diesel engine is costly.

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Second, the performance was meagre. Dedicated owners will no doubt argue, but the original Golf diesel is a breathless performer in just about any situation, making driving hard work.

The Golf 2 (second generation) is a rarity here and not available in sufficient numbers to make it a contender.

But that all changed in the early 1990s when the brand was revived after about 10 years in the wilderness, as far as this market was concerned.

The Golf 3 was the current model, so although we were late getting them, we did see a decent supply of the third-generation cars.

Within that pack was a much more viable diesel-powered variant.

The Golf GL TDi of 1995 was based on the roomy, five-door bodyshell that offered an upright seating position for the five passengers and adequate luggage space. It wasn't exciting to look at but had enough Golf personality to convince you that it was not a Japanese effort.

The interior was more plasticky than owners of old air-cooled Volkswagens would recognise, and build quality generally was a bit off the pace.

Based on the mid-spec GL version of the Golf 3 (the diesel wasn't offered in ritzier GLE specification) the TDi had dual front air-bags, air-conditioning, central locking, power mirrors, power windows and not much more (it was 1995, remember).

But the highlight was the engine, and with 1.9 litres and a turbocharger to work with, the end result was a revelation. It used a single-overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder.

Power didn't look great on paper (it produced just 66 kW), but its torque, or pulling power, at a beefy 202 Nm, gave the car character.

The engine produced strong, even performance from just off idle, and although it wasn't a high revver, you could shift gears early and surf that big wave of torque.

Economy? Figure on about five to six litres per 100 km.

There's much less of the typical diesel gruffness or rumble and black smoke. Only greasy diesel fuel bowsers will remind you that it's not a conventional petrol car.

A five-speed manual was the standard fitment, but even better was a four-speed automatic.

The small amount of slip in the torque converter meant the engine could spool up a little turbo boost when required, and the self-shifting gears meant the car couldn't be caught out in the wrong gear.

The rest of the package is typically Golf - sensible with a roomy hatchback body.

As a standard-bearer for the diesel revolution, the Golf 3 diesel is fairly old hat, but as a solid used-car buy, it's still in there punching.

What to pay

Because of relative scarcity and a small but devoted fan base, prices are still high. The value of the new model will settle things out, though, so expect prices to fall in the next few months. Meanwhile, you'll still need to find somewhere between $10,000 and $13,000, depending on whether you're buying privately or from a dealer.

The competition

Diesel cars from that era are fairly rare and it's fair to say the VW is probably the pick. Peugeot did a few diesels, including the 506 and 306. Other than that, you're looking at Mercedes-Benzes, and oddball stuff such as the Mazda 626 diesel of the mid-1980s or the plodding Holden Gemini diesel.

Prices and details correct at publication.

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